Mainly political insight into matters affecting Burntwood residents and named after the much-loved suite the Tories never replaced.

No discussion on threat to Burntwood’s Green Belt at last week’s Cabinet

The proposal to take the St Matthew’s area out of the Green Belt – leaving the land off Coulter Lane vulnerable to developers did not get a mention at last Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting.

What was mentioned was the fact that officers have presented a report for the Local Plan influenced by the political leadership suggesting this is not the report they would have written as professionals. However Cabinet members will not be at the Examination in Public which will cost the Council about £90,000 in total involving legal representations and consultants.

It is not even clear whether the 750 dwellings at Curborough that the Secretary of State forced through (see below) will be counted in the 10,000 plus dwellings LDC has to find. That is also without the challenge to a site for 1000 dwellings opposed by Tamworth Borough Council!

If that wasn’t enough the Cabinet member responsible referred to the issue “hanging over us” i.e. the need to work with Birmingham to meet their housing needs on Lichfield District’s boundary where it cannot be accommodated on Birmingham’s brownfield land. Surely the new mayor of the West Midlands will listen to his close friend Michael Fabricant MP and so that threat will be lifted soon.